


Green eyed

by Woodface



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-17
Updated: 2014-02-17
Packaged: 2018-01-12 21:13:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1200890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woodface/pseuds/Woodface
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You fancy her," Eames says in a sing-song tone that makes Arthur expect he'll soon be singing about him and Ariadne K-I-S-S-I-N-G in a tree.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Green eyed

**Author's Note:**

> Right after the movie came out, my muse insisted on writing a bunch of Inception fics. It took over my mind in what was a period of prolificness that I hadn't experienced in ages. It finished the fics and was then quite content to let things be and not touch them again. As I never did find a betareader, I forgot about them. I'm giving these a second chance now. Sadly, it's still unbetaed, but hopefully its flaws can be forgiven.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Ariadne calls over her shoulder before she leaves the warehouse.

Arthur watches after her, he doesn't realise he's staring until Eames is laughing from his spot on the lawnchair.

"You fancy her," Eames says in a sing-song tone that makes Arthur expect he'll soon be singing about him and Ariadne K-I-S-S-I-N-G in a tree.

"Don't be ridiculous," he scowls down at his notebook, trying to remember what exactly he was doing before he got distracted.

"Hey, she's hot," Eames says easily. "No one can blame you for wanting to tap that. Heck, I wouldn't mind."

Arthur snaps his notebook shut and glares up at Eames. "She's on our team," he says tightly, biting out every word. "I'm not as unprofessional as you are. I don't go mixing business with pleasure." He knows too well what it did to Cobb and Mal, and there's no way he's going down that path.

"You actually know what that word means, darling?" Eames's smirking and Arthur has to fight the urge to throttle him.

"You'd be amazed," he snaps.

Eames nods and leans his head back. "I would."

Arthur thinks that's it and he opens his notebook again. Now where was he?

"So if you're not interested, then you won't mind if I go for it?" Eames asks lazily.

It's only his love for his notebook that keeps him from throwing the thing at Eames' head. "I would. This job is complicated enough, we don't need you being unable to keep your dick in your pants making it even more of a mess."

"You're underestimating me, luv," Eames leans forward and he's got that annoying cocky grin on his face. "Women love me. It wouldn't be a mess."

"Stay away from her," Arthur warns.

"I thought you weren't interested."

"I'm not."

"Good," Eames settles back in his chair and Arthur quickly stands up and moves to the office before he can't resist the urge to wipe the damn smirk off his face.

***

Eames moving in on Ariadne is subtle enough, but Arthur's watching for it. It starts out innocent, but there's the way Eames looks up and glances at Arthur when he manages to make Ariadne laugh. It makes Arthur want to punch him square in the face, but he manages to keep it all in check because Eames after a while begins to look annoyed at his lack of response. Good, because this is ridiculous, they aren't a bunch of schoolboys vying for the approval of the prettiest girl in class. (The only girl in class, in fact.)

And yet, Arthur can't help but look smug when Ariadne falls back to him any time she has a question about the dreams. She always seems to find him, whether it's in a dream or reality. He likes it, likes to feel needed, but Eames knowing looks make him shorter in his responses than he should be.

They're in Eames' dream that day, testing Ariadne's new maze. They're somewhere up in the mountains with nothing but pine trees and snow around them. Ariadne starts creating, making paths between the trees and drawing up the mountain peeks to create a valley with a fortress right in the middle. Arthur only just notices the movement. He grabs Ariadne's elbow, pulls her roughly down in the snow and pulls the sniper rifle from his back. He's better with handguns, but he hits the projection easily.

"Can you keep your fucking mind under control?" Arthur barks at Eames as he holds out a hand to help Ariadne up.

Eames shrugs and squints in the distance. "It's my subconscious, darling. Not everyone's so tightly wound that even their projection's got their panties in a twist."

"I'm fine," Ariadne insists as she's wiping snow from her clothes. "It's still more pleasant than Cobb's mind."

Arthur swears under his breath, but nods. "Let's keep going then."

Afterwards when they wake up, Eames is the first to stand. "What do you say we go for a drink?" he asks Ariadne, holding out his hand to her. "I figure I owe you one since my subconscious tried to kill you and all."

She accepts Eames' help to get up and glances over at Arthur. "You want to come too?"

"Yeah, Arthur," Eames says pleasantly, "but you can pay for your own bloody drink."

One look at Eames' smirk has Arthur shaking his head. "No, I've got some work to finish."

He doesn't get anything done, he's too busy thinking of Eames and Ariadne sitting too close. He tells himself it's got nothing to do with his own attraction to her. He knows she's pretty after all, any man can see that, but she's way too young and he stands by what he told Eames to begin with. In the end, he fails to even convince himself that that's all there is to it.

***

Ariadne and Eames going for drinks becomes a habit. Sometimes Yusuf joins them, but Arthur always turns down the invitation when Ariadne extends it towards him. He's impressed he still hasn't decked Eames for the way he wraps his arm around her shoulder when they leave.

***

Arthur's grateful when they finally board the plane. Everything is set into motion and whether they fail or succeed, after this they can all go their own merry way. Eames will go back to whatever hole he crawled out of, Cobb will hopefully be with his children. Yusuf will... he's actually not sure where Yusuf usually goes. Ariadne, he imagines will either go back to college or get herself involved in his world. He hopes for her that she picks a normal life, but he knows it's like an addiction and he's never even tried to beat it himself.

Everything goes wrong right from the start. The projections are all over them and they're lucky that only Saito is the one getting hurt. He knew it was a bad idea to take the damn tourist with him, but they're stuck now and Cobb's yelling at him, but he's certain he didn't mess up. There was nothing about Fischer getting trained to defend his dreams. He checked his history over and over again. He knows every detail of the man's life. It wasn't there, but the proof is right outside, ready to lynch them all and he must have messed up somewhere. It annoys him, puts him off his game and fucking Eames gets to save the day with his grenade launcher. Arthur's certain Eames' overcompensating for something.

The next dream is his and he's back in a suit and Ariadne's beside him. So far, everything's calm even if Fischer's projections are more on edge than they're supposed to be at this point. No one's shooting at them, though, so he takes that as a plus. For the time being, he doesn't like how many looks they're attracting and he's got no idea why he says what he does. Maybe because after this they won't share dreams again. He can't believe she actually does it and her lips are soft and sweet on his. He's a bit proud of himself, but there's very little time to let it go to his head as soon the projections are on to them and everything goes to hell.

***

They all leave the plane separately, but when Arthur makes it outside last (he saw Cobb leave with Miles), everybody's waiting for him. Eames is leaning against the side of a cab, Ariadne is right beside him, looking tired and a little lost.

"About time, princess," Eames remarks and he pulls away from the cab to open the door. Ariadne slides in at his urging and Arthur quickly puts a hand on Yusuf's shoulder. "You take the front seat," he orders and he slams the door shut after Eames. Sadly enough, the forger's already got all his limbs inside the car. Arthur gets his bag in the trunk and moves to the other side of cab. When he slides in, Eames's all cosy in his corner, his arm stretched along the back of the seat and Ariadne's tucked under his arm.

Arthur clenches his jaw, but he pulls on his seatbelt with tight, controlled movements. It takes a few deep breathes before he can look across the cab again and realises that Eames isn't just taunting him (that's just a perk). Ariadne looks like she's been put through the wringer and he thinks that they probably picked the worst job to put her to the test. Going from creating her first dream worlds to getting stuck in Cobb's limbo. He can think of better ways to get into this.

"Are you okay?" he asks quietly, fisting his hand beside him to keep from reaching for her.

Ariadne opens her eyes and she looks way too young right now. Tired and vulnerable, and he's pissed at Cobb for putting so much on her shoulders. "Not really," she murmurs and then she's shifting away from Eames, wrapping an arm around Arthur's waist as she leans against him. He stiffens for an instant before his arm slips around her shoulders and he rests his chin on top of her head.

"It gets better," he promises. He feels her nod against his shoulder, but stays quiet and he thinks that she might have fallen asleep.

Eames raises an eyebrow at Arthur, a smug smile curving his lips. It's tempting to tell him to shut up, but it's not worth waking Ariadne for and Arthur simply chooses to ignore him.

The drive doesn't take very long, and Ariadne magically opens her eyes when the cab pulls up in front of their hotel. "Sorry," she mumbles, running a hand down his chest, but he shakes his head and brushes a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.

"You coming, ladies?" Eames calls. He's already got their luggage from the trunk and is paying the cab driver. Arthur's out of the cab in an instant and picks up Ariadne's bag before Eames can even think of it, then grabs his own.

"You know, I'm not an invalid," Ariadne protests.

"I know you're not," he ignores her attempt to get the bag from him and follows Eames and Yusuf inside. Ariadne's following behind him, mumbling something about men and testosterone and he has a hard time trying not to laugh.

Arthur belays Eames' order for four bedrooms, asks for two singles and one with two queen sized beds.

"Are you planning on sharing with Eames?" Ariadne demands when he accepts the keys.

"No," he picks up their bags and heads for the elevator.

"I hate to break up a couple fighting, but I'm kind of curious myself," Eames pipes up.

"Shut up," Arthur growls and Ariadne's crossing her arms and glaring at him. It's a terrible thing to find it cute, especially as she looks downright pissed and he thinks she's right to be.

There's a chime and the elevator doors go open. Yusuf goes inside and Eames leans against the doors to keep them from shutting. He's looking with interest at them, enjoying the show.

"Can you guys go up already?" Arthur asks.

Eames looks at Ariande. "It's up to you, luv. I'm not leaving unless you want me to."

Arthur makes a face at the phony chivalry. Like Ariadne needs to be protected by Eames of all people.

"It's fine," she says after a moment, her eyes not leaving Arthur's face.

Eames shrugs and gives Arthur a look before he steps inside the elevator.

"So?" Ariadne demands once they're gone. "Are you going to explain to me why you've gone all cavemen all of a sudden?"

Arthur sighs and puts their bags down, buying some time to think of the proper words to use. "I'm not good at this."

"Obviously," she snorts, but she's looking a little less angry.

Good, he thinks. Not that he's any closer to putting into words what he's trying to do. "The first time's hard," he says, glancing at a spot over her shoulder. "And this mission didn't exactly go smoothly."

She wraps her arms around herself and nods slowly. "Not exactly, no."

"I had nightmares after," he says quietly. He tries not to think of them, instead remembers her waking up the first time Cobb's subconscious had turned on her. She'd come out spitting and fighting, but she'd been shaking and he'd wanted to give her something to hold on to.

"Oh," she's frowning and he can see her putting things together.

"Let me be there," he's pleading. The job's done now, he reasons with himself. It stopped being professional the moment they woke up on the plane. She's still too young for him, but something in her eyes is different now. She's a little more broken, a little more messed up like the rest of them. He wants to be her reality. "Please."

"If you let me carry my own damn bag," she says, but she's laughing and wipes at her cheek.

He smiles at her and holds out her bag. When they step inside the elevator, she's leaning against him and he thinks she might be his reality as well.


End file.
